Miramonte Elementary teacher gets eight years for molesting 5 students

A former South El Monte elementary school teacher was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for inappropriately touching five students on campus.

Joseph Alfred Baldenebro, 55, of Montebello pleaded no contest to one felony count of a lewd act upon a child and four misdemeanor counts of child molesting, according to a statement by Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

A judge sentenced him the same day. Baldenebro must also register as a sex offender for life, Ardalani said.

Baldenebro worked as a teacher at Miramonte Elementary School in South El Monte for two decades, Sheriff’s detectives said.

The prosecution said that the five girls were in fourth and fifth grades when they were molested between August 2015 and May 2017.

Baldenebro had faced a possible maximum sentence of 12 years in prison if convicted as charged. He opted to take a plea deal instead.

Mountain View School District placed Baldenebro on administrative leave when district officials learned of the allegations. It’s not clear if he resigned later or was fired. A district spokeswoman couldn’t be reached for comment late Tuesday afternoon.